It’s that time of year again: time when a new iPhone is announced and people debate about which color to get. It all started with iPhone 3GS when Apple introduced White as a color option. The choices got harder when iPhone 5s offered a Space gray and Gold option (Gold is best). Then people really lost their minds when Rose gold was offered in iPhone 6s. And now with iPhone 7, the first-world issue of choosing Jet black or Black is the new internal struggle.
If you really want a certain color, by all means, get what will make you happiest. After all, it’s your phone. But, if you find yourself having a hard time deciding, here’s something that may help: pick any color.
Worrying about your color isn’t something you should be too concerned with—and it could actually prevent you from getting your new iPhone 7 as soon as you’d like. Here’s a few reasons why:
First, the newest color is always the hottest. So getting your new device in that color usually takes longer.
Just like Gold with iPhone 6 and Rose gold with iPhone 6s, iPhone 7 in Jet black already has longer lead times with every carrier on Apple’s website—shipping in 3-5 weeks (as of this writing this). On the other hand, other existing colors like Silver and Gold (even Rose gold) are available in all capacities in as soon as one week.
And second, while it’s a shiny, new device you want to show off, you really should put it in a case.
As someone who’s worked in retail stores, I’ve seen a lot of damaged iPhone devices. Cracked screens and dented corners are not something you plan to have happen, but they do. That’s why they’re called “accidents”—and they’re more common than you may realize. I had one customer who showed me her severely cracked iPhone display because she, in her words: “gave it to him [pointing to her six-month old baby], and he went like this!”…violently motioning her hand above her head. The baby thought is was hysterical. Her, not so much. And it wouldn’t have mattered if she had a case on it.
Speck Products Presidio cases for iPhone 7
Putting a case on your smartphone is one thing I always highly recommend—and not just for iPhone users. Nearly all major smartphones are made of glass, and metal or plastic. So no smartphone is totally immune to damage. Cases help protect your device against scratches and accidental drops (and your clumsy-ness, too).
Even though the color on the back of your phone isn’t visible with a case, you’ll get a much larger variety of colors and patterns to choose from. With certain finishes, some cases can even help you better grip your phone—which is really useful if you want a much bigger phone like an iPhone 7 Plus, but your hand size is made for an iPhone SE. And a phone in better condition sells for more money. So if you really want to upgrade to the even newer phone one year from now, you’ll get much more money from resellers if your device is scratch and dent-free as opposed to something that looks like it came out of a hammer factory.
Speck Products (pictured above) makes some great, impact-resistant cases, like their Presidio line. Apple make both a silicone and leather case for iPhone. And here’s a few other case-makers to check out, too:
So, if you’re struggling with choosing which color to get, try getting any color and get a case instead. You’ll get your new iPhone faster, sidestep the color debate, and keep your valuable iPhone safe!